Usam Nîmes. David Degouy: “You have to be ambitious because in a match, you will be able to beat anyone”

Pour David Degouy, dans les tribunes du Parnasse en mai dernier, lors de la réception de Limoges, “l’ambition doit s’associer au travail”. MIDI LIBRE – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Ce lundi 15 juillet, les Nîmois attaquent la préparation d’une saison de Starligue où, pour le technicien gardois, la performance passera par le sérieux au quotidien.

We left David Degouy at the beginning of July at Grau-du-Roi. He came to greet the Argentina selection, in preparation for the Olympics, where he was assistant between 2013 and 2017. After a few days of ''vacation – work, the new coach of Usam Nîmes, 44, puts on the number 1 outfit, first experience in this position for the former assistant by Patrice Canayer in Montpellier. Interview before resumption, this Monday.

What will a preparation “à la David Degouy” look like?

It's going to be dense. We start this Monday with a lot of medical tests. I will see the players in an interview, over the first 48 hours, to make an initial assessment and find out where they are. What will be the foundation of our season will be next week's training course in Mende. This is where we will have the most handball training and physical sessions. This is where we will live together and where we will really lay the anchor for Usam 2024-2025.

The Usamists are going to visit the country

PRÉPARATION – After two days of various tests, today and tomorrow, the Nîmois will put on the sneakers, Wednesday & 8 hours, for a jogging in the Espeisses woods. In the afternoon, first handball session at the Gaston-Lessut gymnasium.

Three courses await the Nîmois : from July 22 to 26   Mende; from 5 to 8 August ût à Nevers (Nièvre) whereù will be played on Wednesday 7, the first friendly match against Pontault-Combault (D2); from August 15th to August 18th à Cluj (Romania) where l’Usam will participate à a tournament with two matches against each other; the local team then against Dinamo Bucharest or Besiktas (Turkey).

On Wednesday August 21 (7 p.m.), the Green team will compete in one of its only two outings at Parnasse against the Green Team. Chambery, the other being scheduled against Istres on August 27. On Friday 23, Nîmes will play   Saint-Raphaël before, perhaps (the match is not confirmed), to challenge the European Toulouse, on the 29th &agrav; Narbonne.

In what state of mind are you approaching this new function ?

I feel very good. Around me, I have a very dynamic staff and team. Of course, I was an assistant but I have been with the Starligue for twelve seasons (six at Ivry, six at MHB, Editor's note). It builds and allows you to have multiple experiences. It’s a season that I’m looking forward to very well because I think that there’s real in-depth work that has been done upstream. We are a continuation of something that has already been implemented, of the project that I presented to all the club executives.

You who have a mental preparation micro-business, you often compare a club to a business…

Today, that’s what we are, we have to understand it that way. We all come from the associative world. I had the chance to work beyond handball. As a result, I also acquired this notion of business dynamics, work and respect for hierarchy in the world of work.

''If you want to travel, you have to learn''

L’Usam, 7th in the end, had the 6th payroll last season. Are you still aiming for the top 5 ?

Basically, you have to be ambitious because in a match, you will be able to beat anyone. On the other hand, ambition must be combined with work. And that, if we want to have ambition, that will be my job, to bring this desire into our staff and team culture. Even if, at some point, the budget is a real reality.

Nîmes will play the top 3 (PSG, Nantes, MHB) over the first eight days. What does this inspire you??

The tone will be set to launch the season. The first ten days will be very busy. The objective is to reward yourself through good preparation and good friendly matches. At the start, we are not going to unpack much (five trips out of the first seven matches including the Coupe de France in Nancy, Editor's note). If you want to travel, you have to learn.

And Parnassus “infernal” must push you to create exploits…

Psychologically, we need to work on this, on our glass ceiling, as well as on our approach to matches that are supposed to be affordable at home.

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